Broken Wings
by YugisTenshi
Summary: SJ, shonenai, One day Katsuya becomes so upset in one of his fights with Kaiba that he tells him his deepest and most zealously kept secret: Jou likes Kaiba! Seto turns on the spot and leaves Jou in the middle of the street. What might Fate have up her sl
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Beta: Leeann Shadowdancer

Rating: R

Warning: Shonen-Ai (maybe Yaoi in later chapters), bad language

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Summary: One day Katsuya becomes so upset in one of his fights with Kaiba that he tells him  
his deepest and most zealously kept secret: Jou likes Kaiba! Seto turns on the spot and  
leaves Jou in the middle of the street. What might Fate have up her sleeve for the both of  
them?

:-: Chapter One :-:

The sun was glistening down on Domino City this Friday afternoon, casting a yellow gleam over everything, reflecting off of the glass windows of the huge skyscrapers.

A lone figure was walking along the sidewalk leading away from Domino High, head hung low as he made his way towards a well-known shortcut through the nearby park.

Just as the blond boy was about to turn, a sportscar with its very famous owner rushed by, the horn startling the afore mentioned boy.

"Damn you, Kaiba!" The teen screamed, although he was rather sure the other would not hear him. "Damn him for always being like this," Katsuya muttered to himself as he finally turned into the park. He sighed deeply, inhaling the fresh air in this quiet area of town.

But even the beautiful sight in front of him would not brighten his sour mood. Not the different trees and bushes growing to the side of the small path he was walking on, not even the birds happily singing and chirping above him.

"I hate him," Katsuya sighed, but immediately chastised himself mentally for claiming so. 'Why do I try to lie to myself! It's not like I don't know I like him! He just has to be such a jerk all the time!'

The blond teen sighed again and continued on his way towards his final destination: his dreaded home with his father waiting for him. He would certainly be in for another round of beatings, if his father was dead drunk or just angry for no particular reason.

Katsuya couldn't help but shiver lightly at the thought.

:-:-:-:-:-:

Seto laughed out loud as he saw a single person saunter along the sidewalk. He immediately recognized him to be the one and only Jounouchi Katsuya, the object of his oh-so-friendly comments, his insults and teasings. Seto just couldn't help himself when he came across the other boy; he just loved to see him all riled up.

'Wait! 'Love'? That's _not_ the word I meant. I hate his guts and it just gives me a feeling of content to see him angry,' he thought and nodded to himself for assurance.

And because Seto always was so 'content' to see Katsuya angry, he decided it was time to remind the mutt that he had nothing, that he _was_ nothing. So, laughing to himself again, Seto pushed down on the horn just as he passed the other teen and of course it had the desired effect: Katsuya jumped and screamed, wildly gesturing with his arms.

Seto felt that familiar 'contentedness' wash over him as he watched Katsuya in the rearview mirror, but as he saw the other just turn and slump his shoulders mere moments, not minutes, _moments_ later, a completely different feeling mingled with the former. A feeling fairly unknown to the young CEO … one he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

And as fate wanted it to be, he would not have the time to think about it as it was replaced with utter shock. Just in time, Seto slammed the brakes to screech to a halt in front of a red light.

:-:-:-:-:-:

Katsuya walked through the park, ignoring everything around him and wallowing in self-pity. He heaved a sigh as he stepped out from the small path and onto concrete ground again, not too far from the dirty apartment he called 'home'. Out of habit, he slowed his pace, trying to postpone his inevitable arrival as long as possible, although he knew it would do him no good in the long run.

Life just wasn't fair, in his opinion. People who already had everything one could think of gained more every day and others - who had nothing - lost all that remained.

'I shouldn't complain,' Katsuya thought bitterly. 'There are people who have it worse.'

With that, he looked up to gaze at the apartment-complex in the distance. There was no use in complaining, crying, screaming or hoping. This was what life treated him and he would have to cope with it.

Katsuya hadn't noticed that he had stopped in his tracks, but as soon as he realized it, he started to walk again. Or better: he wanted to. Just as the blond moved one foot, he heared a scream not too far behind him. He swirled around to see an old woman scrambling out of the way of an expensive-looking sportscar and in her haste dropping her grocery bags. She clutched her heart, looking completely terrified and shocked as the car swirled by, tires shrieking.

Anger swelled in Katsuya's chest as he watched the driver closely. He had the audacity to absolutely ignore the trembling lady and drive on like nothing happened.

"It's one thing to treat me like shit, but it's a different thing to treat your elders like that!" Katsuya yelled, eyes becoming mere slits as fury flashed through his brown orbs.

He didn't hesitate the slightest of a second when he dropped his book case and jumped in the middle of the street. Arms outstreched and eyes closed tightly he waited for the car to stop. Or he hoped it would stop. Luckily, it did, mere centimetres before impact. As Katsuya slowly opened one eye, he breathed heavily and his heart raced madly. But before he had a chance to compose himself, a hand slapped him hard across his face.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" A familiar voice damanded.

Katsuya's eyes snapped open, anger coming back full force as he clutched his cheek. "What the hell do you think _you_ are doing! Nearly overrunning an old lady and driving on like nothing happened!"

Seto's eyes flashed with indifference as he crossed his arms over his chest, snorting. "Oh my God, what a tragedy! The old hag still walks, nothing happened!"

"But something could have happened, you cold-hearted prick!" For a moment, Katsuya wished he hadn't added those last few words to his sentence. Something changed in Seto's demeanor - just for an instant - and he was taken aback. But as fast as it came, it was replaced with uncaring again, not a trace of the earlier flash of emotion left.

"But it didn't. Now move out of my way … I don't have all day to deal with your stupidity."

"No!" Katsuya pointed an accusing finger at Seto, taking a bold step towards him. "You have no idea how she feels right now and you don't know how hard it might have been for her to carry those bags or to pay for this food! Sure, you can throw away all the food you want; you're loaded! But other people can _not_ afford such luxury!"

Something flashed in Seto's eyes again, but he took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "Even if that was in the least bit of interest for _me_, none of it is _your_ business, mutt. You shouldn't concern yourself with other people's problems," His voice rang cold as ice, and equally emotionless.

"But I do! That's how I am!" Came Jou's heated reply.

"Then change that. What concern is it of _yours _if I run over an 'old lady'?"

Katsuya sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. Maybe it was hopeless, but all the rage still rushing through his body blinded all reason. He chuckled a bit before looking Seto directly in the eyes.

"I'm worried about you! Hell, today it is an old lady; tomorrow you crash into a tree and die! I like you and I care about you, even if it doesn't always seem like it!" Katsuya trembled violently, never droping his gaze and impatiently awaiting a new wave of wrath directed towards him.

…

But nothing came. Not a snort, not a shrugging of shoulders. No reaction at all. Seto just stared at him for a moment, eyes not betraying one single emotion, before he turned on his heel. He almost jumped into his car, slammed the door shut, howled the engine to life and sped off, barely missing Katsuya on his way. The blond teen stood, rooted to the spot and still trembling, as tears welled out of his now closed eyes, descending down his cheek, one of them still sporting a red mark.

:-: tbc :-:


	2. Chapter Two

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13

Warning: Shonen-Ai, mild language

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounochi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

- Chapter 1: Aftermath -

Katsuya unceremoniously flopped down on his bed. He instantly burried his face in his ragged pillow, tears still streaming down his cheeks and gut-wrenching sobs now shaking his lithe form. All coherent thoughts were drained from his mind as he cried himself into oblivion.

'Jerk, jerk, jerk! He's such a jerk!!!'

Katsuya had expected anything: snorting, yelling, hell even a straight punch in his face … but not the icy indifference Seto showed towards him. That hurt even more. The emotionless, cold gaze, not wavering in the slightest bit, kept on unnerving and upsetting the poor blond as the images of those freezing eyes replayed themselves in his head.

He cried for all he was worth punshing his mattress senseless. After a while, however, Katsuya sat up in his bed, eyes wide with confusion. The fact that there was no drunk bastard all over him and beating him into a bloody heap for coming home late, for crying like a baby or for just being himself, which was the main reason for attacking him recently, struck him like lightning.

Katsuya stood, slowly walking towards his door body trembling violently with his subsiding sobs and the fear of being beaten as he reached for the knob. He instinctively ducked as he carefully opened the door, the 'normal' odour of alcohol and dried left-overs hitting his nose. He winced a the familiarity of it all, the chaos he lived in.

The teen slowly walked through the apartment, checking every room, and found nothing. At that moment he was relieved and emensely grateful that he was not lying on the ground and crying in agony.

He sighed heavily, leaning against a wall in the living room sinking to the floor. He hugged his knees to his chest, head resting upon them as his thoughts yet again drifted to indigo eyes. Katsuya would have to face Seto …, er Kaiba again, at the latest in school on Monday. He would not be able to avoid him and certainly not his insults.

A lone tear rolled down Katsuya's already tear-stained cheek and he took a deep shuddering breath.

"I can't believe my own stupidity," he whispered to an empty room. "Yelling at him I like him. Who would believe something like that in such a moment? I made the greatest fool ever out of myself and I sure as hell pissed him royally."

He shuddered, tightening his hold on his legs.

'But then again, when he already _is_ angry, I could just confront him now. No harm done by that, things can't get any worse for me than they already are,' he thought bitterly.

Decision made, Katsuya stood on shakey legs, an arm leaning against the wall for support. He straightened himself, wiping over his face with the sleeves of his jacket he hadn't bothered to take of earlier.

"He doesn't even know me," Katsuya said to his reflection in the hall-mirror. He closed his eyes tightly, braving himself. He took one last deep breath before he opened his eyes again and made his way out of the door.

- tbc -

Sorry for the long wait and the shortness of the chapter. Life's just been a real bitch lately (I cracked my wrist) and I have this severe case of writer's block. It just doesn't want to go away, although I have this story (for once) already planned out. I think it's the shortest thing I've ever written, though I wanted to have really long chapters for this fic.

Anyway, I don't think updates will be any faster for the next while until I can write again, you know what I mean. So, please be patient with me, I'll try my best!

And thank you for all your support, I really appretiate that. You people keep me going!

Yugi's Tenshi

PS: I know you always read, Huh? Oh !!!


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Beta: Leeann Shadowdancer

Rating: R

Warning: Shonen-Ai (maybe Yaoi in later chapters), bad language

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Summary: One day Katsuya becomes so upset in one of his fights with Kaiba that he tells him

his deepest and most zealously kept secret: Jou likes Kaiba! Seto turns on the spot

and leaves Jou in the middle of the street. What might Fate have up her sleeve for

the both of them?

-.- Chapter Three -.-

_The door opened slowly, revealing an aged man in a perfectly tailored suit. His stout figure moved through the brightly lit room until he stopped in front of a desk. Mountains of books were strewn over it, almost hiding the delicate, young boy hunched over the tabletop, head resting on his small arms, fast asleep. His silky bangs gently stroked his face caressing the closed eyelids as his chest rose and fell with his soft and steady breathing._

_A wicked smirk crossed the old man's face. With one swift motion he threw a heap of books to the ground and slammed his clenched fists hard on the desk starteling the boy into awareness. The child sat upright in his chair, eyes wide with shock and confusion, his little heart racing wildly. He looked up into raging eyes, his filling with fear._

_"You lazy little piece of shit! What do you think I buy these books for! For you to fall asleep over them!"_

_The boy averted his gaze, training his eyes to the expensively carpeted floor. By now, he was shaking with terror and his words were barely audible. "N-no, sir," he forced out of quivering lips. "I'm s-sorry, f-father."_

_"Sorry?" The man snorted. "Sorry!" He leaned over the top of the desk, looming over the terrified child, and swung a fist at the boy's face, sending his little frame crashing into one of the large bookshelves behind him. The small form sunk to the ground, tears gathering in the corners of beautiful but now vacant eyes. But before they even had the chance to fall, the boy was picked up by the collar of his shirt and slammed into the shelve again, books falling to the ground and hitting his body in their way._

_"I should have known better than to let you into my house! You are a pathetic, little weakling, you' re good for nothing! YOU ARE NOTHING!" With that the old man let the boy fall to the floor. In a low, yet amused voice he added, "Now, face your punishment, filthy little whore."_

_"N-no! Please don't do that!" The boy screamed in terror. "Please! I won't fall asleep again! Don't do that!"_

_The last thing Seto heard was a deep, throaty chuckle before his cloths were ripped from his small body._

_"NOOOOOO!"_

_-.-.-.-.-.-_

"NOOOOOO!"

Katsuya jumped at the soul-rattling scream, stopping in the middle of knocking at the door. His brown eyes had widened with confusion as the sound, only mildly muffled by the thick wood, reached his ears.

'What was that? Why would he yell like that?' He wondered.

"No! Please … stop! … Please!"

Katsuya bit his lower lip in thought, internally battling with himself whether to enter the office without permission or not. The decision, however, was taken out of reason's hands when another shocking scream reverberated through the closed door. Without further hesitation, much like a few hours earlier, he bolted through the barrier separating him from the other room. He ran across the huge study, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight presenting itself in front of him: Kaiba Seto trembled violently, his face constricting in what seemed like fear and pain. He was bathed in sweat and his breath came in ragged gasps.

Katsuya's heart stopped. Never had he seen or imagined to see Seto in such a vulnerable and fragile state. And he never wanted to experience that again. Taking a deep breath, he rushed around the table and tried to wake the other teen through lightly shaking him. No reaction. Katsuya attempted again, this time shaking a bit harder, but again nothing happened.

"C'mon, wake up! Hey!" Katsuya tried again, but was rewarded with only another scowl on Seto's pale face.

"Please stop it! I … No!"

Katsuya scrambled away a few steps, startled at the sudden shriek, "He has to wake up," he told himself, true concern in his expression. In a desperate effort, he tried to shake Seto awake one more time, but gave up when he realized this was definitely not going to help. Frantically looking around him, the only idea that struck him at the moment was to wake Seto with a loud noise. Not finding anything remotely looking like a pot – a typical Jounouchi Katsuya thought – he settled for clapping his hands. Moving in to stand directly beside Seto, he lifted both of his hands right beside the brunette's ear, clapping them repeatedly. When Seto began to stir out of his dream – 'Haunting nightmare,' Katsuya thought – said boy slammed his hands down on the tabletop beside the other, startling him wide awake. Seto sat upright in his chair, gaze clouded over and panic-stricken. He jumped to his feet, backing away from Katsuya until he hit a wall.

"Please, please don't hit me," he whispered, sliding down the wall and cowering into a protective ball. "Please."

To say Katsuya was shocked to the core would be a clear understatement. His eyes wide with confusion and concern, he stood rooted to the spot trying to comprehend what just happened. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and took a deep breath. How often he had done it that day, he had lost count. With as much calm as he could muster at the moment, he took a few hesitant steps towards Seto.

"I'm not going to hit you, I promise. I would never do that," he said in a soothing voice. Crouching down in front of the trembling CEO, he reached out to gently pry the other's hands away from the protective barrier they formed in front of his face. The soft touch caused an immediate reaction: Seto slung his arms around Katsuya's neck, holding on for dear life. He sobbed uncontrollably, tears running down his pale cheeks like waterfalls. Katsuya slowly closed his arms around the other's form, resting his head over Seto's. Slowly, his own tears started to fall, whether they were tears of confusion, relieve or sympathy, he didn't know or care.

After a while, Seto seemed to calm down, his breathing evening out and death-grip slightly loosening. Reason came back to him and in an instant he was on his feet, pushing a startled Katsuya away from him.

"What the hell are you doing here!" He demanded in a harsh tone.

Katsuya slowly stood, looking at him in disbelieve. He ignored the question all together, asking straight forward, "What just happened here?"

Seto closed his eyes, jaw clenching. He walked over to his desk sitting down in his chair and motioning for Katsuya to take one of the chairs in front of him. Like Katsuya before, he ignored the question and repeated his own, this time calmer, "What are you doing here?"

Katsuya sighed, 'He isn't going to tell me, then,' he thought. "I wanted to apologize. You know, for jumping in front of your car and everything." He fidgeted a bit, idly playing with his hands. "But I also wanted to tell you that I meant what I said back then. I am worried about you. And I really like you, even if you don't like me back. I didn't expect you to in the first place." He sighed again, averting his gaze to his lap, his voice becoming small and quiet with his next words. "Still, there is something I wanted to ask you, to tell you. I'm really tired of fighting with you all the time. I know you don't think so highly of me, but couldn't you just be a bit nicer and stop insulting me all the time?"

When he looked up, Katsuya expected to find icy, blue eyes gazing into his. The unaccustomed softness there startled him, making him blink for a moment. But when he looked again, the coldness had returned and left him to wonder if he had just imagined the gentle gaze.

"I believe you should leave now," Seto said, standing and motioning for the door.

At that moment, something in Katsuya broke. What, he didn't know, but it hurt. He forced a small, pained smile before he turned around and rushed towards the door. Without a word, he closed it behind himself.

However, what he didn't know was that Seto felt much the same. As soon as the door clicked, the boy closed his eyes, falling back into his chair as new tears streamed down his face.

_"I really like you. You are a smart child, Seto," Gozabouru patted the child's shoulder as he took him to the private library for the first time._

-.- tbc -.-


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Beta: Leeann Shadowdancer

Rating: R

Warning: Shonen-Ai (maybe Yaoi in later chapters), bad language

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Summary: One day Katsuya becomes so upset in one of his fights with Kaiba that he tells him his deepest and most zealously kept secret: Jou likes Kaiba! Seto turns on the spot and leaves Jou in the middle of the street. What might Fate have up her sleeve for the both of them?

-.- Chapter Four -.-

'It's raining,' Katsuya thought as he stepped out of the KC-building. He looked up into the now dark skies above Domino City, the raindrops falling onto his face mingeling with his tears and running down his reddened cheeks. 'Funny how fast the weather can change, especially when it so ironically fits my mood.'

Drawing his jacket over his head, Katsuya broke into a light run towards …

Where to go? Home?

He stopped in mid-motion, hands falling limply at his sides and head hanging low. He sighed - yet again - and shoving his hands in his pockets started to walk slowly down the sidewalk.

Destination: anywhere.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kaiba Seto didn't cry! He just didn't! It was an absolute no-no!

And still, the tears poured out of his eyes like the rain outside of the office. They just didn't want to cease to fall, no matter how much Seto willed them away.

And they burned. Not physically, but emotionally. They represented so much: All the demons of his past, which he thought he'd long burried. All the weaknesses he denied himself to have, which where, he had to admit, tightly bound to those awfully persitent creatures of darkness.

And most important: All the agony, which seemed to be his past, present and future companion, never leaving him.

…

Katsuya. It had to be him, of all people on this earth, to see him cry. The one person Seto wanted to be strong for …

Wait! Did he? Did he really want to be strong for him, or…

'I can't deny it any longer,' Seto thought, snorting to himself. 'With all his loud and overbearing comments, with his obnoxious behaviour, with all the little faults that kept on inwardly making me boil with anger … he just broke down all my carefully built barriers.'

He couldn't help the lump in his throat at those thoughts. How was he supposed to ever live up to that? Especially after just having sent the one person who cared about him, aside from his little brother, away?

Seto ran a hand through his tussled, brown bangs and sighed deeply, creating a strange hollow sound as it mixed with his ragged breathing, tears still running down his already wet cheeks.

"Why did he have to use those words," he asked the empty room, slowly standing and wiping at his face with the sleeves of his shirt. Turning to look out of the notorious ceiling-to-floor windows, he took a step back as he was forced to gaze upon his own appearance: His clothing was ruffled, to say the least. His facial features were ash-gray, which made his usually icy, now red-rimmed eyes more prominent than ever. His whole body was shaking, long, slender fingers curling in the fabric of his pants to conceal their vicious trembling. All in all, Seto provided a pitiful sight.

Despite the shock about his rumpled self, Seto's mind acknowledged the pounding of the rain drops.

'The heavens are crying with me,' he thought, smirking at his reflection. "Aren't we poetic today, or should I rather say **pathetic**?"

Of course, Seto didn't get an answer, which he didn't expect in the first place – he wasn't that insane quit yet – but still, the remark served its purpose. Taking a deep breath, he staightened his cloths and 'pulled his act together' as Gozabouru would have put it, he was a Kaiba after all.

"I'm going to confront him. It's better done now than later and things couldn't get any worse anyway."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Katsuya shuddered, still walking through the heavy rain, streams cascading down over him in miniature waterfalls. By now, he was soaked to his bones, his cloths hanging on him like dead weight.

'What a great day it was, until school let out. The sun shining, a weekend of not staying at home in front of me, partytime … and now look at me.'

Katsuya looked up into the gray, slowly darkening evening-sky, a sad smile playing on his lips. "I **am** a worthless, dirty dog after all, am I not, Kaiba? Time to go home and let my old man tell me the same."

-.- tbc -.-


	5. Chapter Five

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13 - R

Warning: Shonen-Ai, language, hints at abuse

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounochi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: Wow, it's been half a year since the last update! I can't say how sorry I'am, nor do I have any excuse other than my

lazyness. I hope you like this chapter and I can proudly tell you that the next one is in progress!

- Chapter 4: Memories Part I-

Decision made, Seto ordered his driver to take him to the apartment complex at the other side of town. Not a place where you'd normaly meet one Kaiba Seto, but for his intention utterly essential.

The limo slowed to a stop in front of the more or less run down building. Seto looked up from his lap, dazed blue eyes focusing on the mass of stone and glass before him. Sighing deeply, he opened the door himself, lazyly climbing out of the car.

"No turning back now," he breathed, straightening himself and taking a step towards the door.

----------

Loudly berating himself for his sloppiness, Katsuya desperately searched his pockets for his keys. Not finding anything - except for a crumpled wrapper-paper – he sighed deeply and grabbed for the door knob.

But before Katsuya had the slightest chance to reach it, the door swung open revealing a not so friendly looking man in his fourties.

Stumbling back a few steps, just barely catching his balance, Katsuya wished for time to stop right this instant. Utterly drunk, his "father" was not a sight the boy desired to see, but still, there was something even more shocking and rippling.

Beside the door, hunched against the wall sat a very familiar brunet. Clothing ragged and rumpled, blood and injuries all over his body and head, face contured in pain and agony although unconcious, Seto looked like a fragile child. He looked … battered. Beaten. Defeated.

"What did you do?! What did you do to him?!" he screamed, fear of his old man forgotten, dashing past him to kneal in front of the hurt boy.

"Shut up, ungrateful son of a bitch!! I saved your sorry little ass!! This guy's after you!!"

Reeling to look at his father, Katsuya's eyes flashed with rage and disbelieve. "After me?! What the hell do you think who you're talking to?" Fresh tears made their way down tender cheeks. "I'm nothing like you," he sobbed. "Nothing, you listen?! Why would police or anybody else be searching for me and better yet, does he look like an officer or whatever your degenerated mind could cobble together?!"

Hands shaking uncontrollably, Katsuya carefully touched Seto's neck, feeling for a pulse and hoping against hope. Desperation sounded in his voice as he looked up into the wrinkled face of the man who was supposed to take care of him.

"Call an ambulance … and hurry! Just this once, please do as I say!"

Rivers of tears cascading down his face, Katsuya tried to stay calm. As calm as humaly possible in a situation like this. Just a few hours ago, he was talking to the very person now lying on the floor, breathing shallow and wounds bleeding like crazy, his pulse irregular and hardly perceptible.

"Please hold on, Seto. Just a bit longer," he whispered, cradeling the poor figure in his arms. Tenderly caressing the CEO's pale cheeks, Katsuya lightely rocked back and forth, more trying to calm himself than anything else.

----------

"S-stop cry-crying, … will you?"

Katsuya lifted his head, not sure when he had closed his eyes or sunken his head to touch Seto's, and stared into fluttering blue orbs. Eyes widening in disbelief, relief, joy, or whatever, a lone tear slid down his still wet cheeks, a small smile forcing it's way onto Katsuya's face.

Seto tried to manage one of his trademark grins, but failed miserably, face immediately contracting with pain.

"Ambulance will be here in a few minutes, hold on just a little longer. You listen, Seto?"

Seeing the puppy so worried for him, confirming everything the blond had told him earlier, Seto smiled. A genuine smile playing over the pain, lighting his face and usually cold eyes.

"Don't worry about it, puppy. I've been … I've … I've been worse," he forced out, breath even more ragged than before. Smiling again, Seto closed his eyes and before falling unconcious again spoke two hushed words: "Thank you."

"Seto? … Seto?! SETO!!!"

- tbc -


	6. Chapter Six

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13

Warning: none

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounochi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

- Chapter 5: You -

Waiting was hell. It was so senseless, so stupid, so … it was just unbearable to not know what was going to happen. Shifting in his seat uneasily, Katsuya ran a hand through already tossled hair. Sighing deeply he slumped back, mindlessly staring at the ceiling when a glimpse of raven-black hair caught his attention.

"Mokuba!" Katsuya jumped to his feet and instantly was on his way towards the kid whose world must be tumbling down at the moment.

"Jounouchi," the little Kaiba said, causing Katsuya to stop in his tracks. His voice was as cold as a stormshaken winternight, rivaling the tone of his injured brother, and no tears – something Katsuya took for granted in a situation such as this – were streaming down the petite cheeks. His gaze was frozen, the usually warm, sparkeling grey orbs covered with ice, face tight. "Don't bother, I'm alright. You couldn't help me anyway." Mokuba turned away from the waiting area and started towards the nurses' office.

"Wait! Mokuba, what's wrong with you, what the hell happened?!" Katsuya was frantic. Mokuba Kaiba was one of the last persons he suspected to ever be so distant, especially when it came to such dramatic incidents. He'd always been one of the most caring and lovely people he knew besides Yugi or Ryou and it just wasn't possible for him to change in an instant! "Mokuba?!"

The boy turned to face Katsuya, an frigid air about him, and regarded the blonde with those uncaring, almost cruel eyes. "How did you expect me to act towards you, Jounouchi?" Katsuya flinched at the use of his surname, taking a deep breath. "After everything that happened, should I come running towards you? Should I cry on your shoulder for letting this happen to my brother? The only family I have left?! Should I be grateful for the things you didn't do to help him?!!!" He was beyond hysteric. Screaming his last question with all his might, not caring about people's reaction. Not caring about the tears finally falling, the sobs ragging his small body. The rage had to get out, somehow. The rage at not being there himself, not knowing about his brother's plans, or feelings for that matter. The rage at being too blind to see what was going on, when it was right in front of his eyes. Mokuba fell to his knees, tears cascading in rivers down his face, welcoming Katsuya's embrace. "I'm sorry, Jou … I didn't mean it … I'm so sorry." He whispered between sobs.

"It's alright," a slightly shaken Katsuya hushed, drawing the child as close to him as possible as his own tears started to fall again. How often he had cried, bawled like a baby, just in one day, he couln't count anylonger, nor could he count the tears shed over the person he loved with all his heart. 'This day must be the most horrible in my life,' he thought, trying to regain his composure.

----------

Katsuya stood back as they were finally allowed into the hospital room. He kept close to the door, leaving Mokuba to run to his brother's bedside.

"Seto!" He shouted, relief clear in his juvenile voice.

The other just smiled as his younger brother flung himself onto the bed, the hug accepted, though not very much appreciated because of the pain it was causing. None the less, Seto hugged his brother back as the little boy couldn't help but start crying again.

"It's alright, Mokuba. _I'm _alright," Seto whispered into the small one's ear, gently stroking through the long, black hair, a rare gesture of affection.

"I was so worried about you when they called," Mokuba sobbed after looking up into his brother's face, whiping at his nose with the back of his hand and sniffling.

A smile crossed the elder Kaiba's face, one of his hands coming up to tuck an unruly strand behind Mokuba's ear. "We've been through much worse. Now stop crying and compose yourself, because we can't change what happened. What's done, is done, remember that, Mokuba. If something like that happens, it's meant to be."

"It's not," a voice from the entrance interjected.

Seto turned to look upon a blond head, bowed to the floor. His eyes widened for a moment before an almost not perceptible smiled crossed his lips.

"It's my fault, Kaiba. If I had left you alone, you wouldn't have come there and never had have to meet my oh-so-caring father." Katsuya looked up, a sad smile adorning his beautiful features. "I can never beg your forgiveness for what has happened today." His voice was quavering, his body trembling.

Seto looked at his brother, who just nodded his head and after giving him another hug left the room.

"Please have a seat, Katsuya."

Addressed one just stared dumbfounded into azure eyes. Which, in turn, held a sparkle never seen before.

"Please. I in no means hold _you_, of all people, responsible for what has happened, Katsuya. It _was_ because of you I went to your house, of course, but it was out of my own free will."

"It doesn't change the fact, Kaiba," Katsuya mumbled, still standing in front of the closed door and looking towards the ground.

Seto sighed, slowly pulling away the bedcovers and swinging his legs over the edge. He tried to stand on shaky feet, desperately trying to keep his balance but failing miserably. Within the blink of an eye he went down and lay sprawled on the floor, an hiss of pain escaping his mouth.

"Seto!" Katsuya couldn't believe his eyes, rushing to the brunet's side and helping him to sit up again. Seto smiled at his gentle and mindful touch, gratefully leaning into his puppy's chest.

"Thank you," he breathed.

"What the hell were you thinking getting up anyway?! You're in no condition to do so!"

Seto just smiled again. "I had to convince you somehow to come here, hadn't I? Besides, I'm fine. It looks worse than it really is."

"You almost died in my arms a few hours ago!" Katsuya huffed incredulously.

"I was just unconcious, silly. And thanks to _you_, ambulance was quick to get me here and treat my wounds. I'll be up and about in no time, you'll see," Seto chuckled.

Katsuya smiled for the first time that day, not once wondering about Seto's warm behavior.

- tbc -


	7. Chapter Seven

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: R

Warning: hints at child abuse and rape, angst

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: I guess this chapter will be some kind of turning point  
for this story, but you'll see yourself. Enjoy reading  
and thanks for the reviews!

--- Chapter 6: Memories Part II ---

They sat like that for quite some time, Seto bathing in the warmth that was purely Katsuya, eyes closed and a content look on his face.

"You know, you should get into bed again unless you want to catch a chill," Katsuya softly said after a few moments of happy bliss.

Smiling, Seto lightly nodded his head, still not moving.

"I was serious about it, Mr. Big-Ass-CEO." Katsuya couldn't keep a smile from creeping upon his face as Seto frowned, slowly starting to sit up properly. With the blond's help, he was able to sit on the bedside and to lay down in bed again, pulling the covers back over his naked legs.

"You're acting like a mother hen," Seto grumbled under his breath, eliciting a small chuckle from Katsuya.

"This sounds so much like lovers-quarrel." Immediately after finishing this sentence, he brought up a hand to cover his mouth, eyes wide with shock. 'Why did I have to say that?! I'm so stupid, I should have kept my mouth shut!'

Seto looked indifferent for a moment before he sighed deeply, turning to look out of the windows. Deliberately slowly, he spoke, " Katsuya?" It really was more of a question, but nonetheless, honey eyes shot up to follow Seto's distant gaze out into the jungle of skyscrapers and highrisers, the hustle of the busy streets and the many people hurrying along crowded sidewalks.

"I'm not the right person to fall in love with." It was a whisper. Just a few hushed words which, when listening closely, definitely held a huge sadness within them. "You know just as well as I do myself that I'm not capable …"

"No!" Katsuya stood, looking more infuriated than ever and rushed around the hospital bed to face the other boy. "Don't you dare say something outrageous like that!"

"Katsuya, please listen to me," Seto tried to reason, voice still low.

"Not as long as you're talking like that! I won't let you talk yourself out of this shit so easily! I'm in it, too, wether you like it or not!"

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm …" Yet again, Katsuya interrupted him, kneeling down beside the bed and taking one of Seto's hands into both of his own. He ignored Seto's surprised looked altogether and unwaveringly began speaking. "Now, just for a moment, listen to me, Seto. You keep telling me that none of this was my fault …"

"Because it wasn't." A small smile adorned Katsuya's face, which quickly faded away again. The blond sighed, continuing with what he wanted to say. "Yeah, I know, kind of. But that's not all of it. I know what you are thinking right now, but I won't have that. Not now, not ever. And I know it's related to the dream you had when I came to your office earlier."

Seto stiffened, body immediately going rigid and tense, much like the atmosphere in the still hospital room. You most definitely could run against it like against a brickwall built out of nowhere within the blink of an eye. "It has nothing to do with it," Seto objected after a few deep breaths.

"Then why were you about to tell me that you weren't capable of taking care of an other person, which is wildly ridiculous by the way, and that this'd be what I needed, if it wasn't for the reason that you closed yourself off from the rest of the world after what happened when you were a child?"

The one and only Kaiba Seto was rendered speachless, if only for a moment. But it was too long to interrupt what was to follow Katsuya's very demanding question. "Instead, you should see that I'm the one person to understand what happened to you, that I'm someone to talk to, no matter what. You even had a vivid demonstration of what is happening to me every day of my life, twice when I'm 'lucky'." Katsuya sighed, looking into wide azure eyes. "And I do know that this must have been not even half of what has happened to you," he added in a mere whisper as the first tears slipped from Seto's normally cold eyes. He didn't cry, no sobs were shaking his body, just small tears running down his cheeks. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, or maybe to chase away the memories rushing over him, Seto lightly squeezed Katsuya's hands.

"They came back, you know?" he said after a moment, voice a bit rough from the lump in his throat, which he didn't know was even there. "The memories, I mean." Seto smiled sadly, brokenheartedly. "Every little piece of what I thought I had long burried deep in my mind, everything returned the moment your father laid hands on me, though it wasn't nearly as bad as the things I had to endure earlier in my life. It wasn't even as bad as the dream." Seto stopped abruptly, taking in an all but shakey breath. Katsuya just held his hand, wanting Seto to continue but not to scare him by beckoning him any further.

"The beatings … I could endure them, they weren't as bad. I'm still so much ashamed of it … of falling victim to something like that." The tears were coming stronger now, streaming down Seto's cheeks in rivlutes, steadily dampening his hospital gown. His normally cold eyes had an uncharacteristic hue of vulnerability, looking distant and forlorn but at the same time mirrowing fear, pain and anger. Katsuya didn't know what to make of that expression, placing a soft kiss on the back of the distressed boy's hand.

"He … the bastard raped me." It was a breathed whisper, just loud enough to be discerned when listening closely. Katsuya jumped to his feet, immediately enfolding Seto in an embrace, clinging to him as much as the other held onto the blonde.

- tbc -


	8. Chapter Eight

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13, for this chappie

Warning: The usual stuff.

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 7: Silence >

They didn't talk about it. Not once. It was like a tacit agreement that they weren't going to mention it again. Katsuya would come to the hospital after school and sit with Seto, doing idle chitchat. With every passing day they'd talk less, falling into awkward, stretching silences, squirming uncomfortably in the other's presence.

"How long do the two of you intent to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Beating around the bush, carrying the church around the cross, ignoring the obvious, you name it."

"We aren't doing anything even remotely similar to that."

"No?"

Seto sighed and turned to look out of the window. It seemed like a habit he'd taken to in the short time he was hopitalized. "He knows." Mokuba stared at his brother, eyes wide with surprise. "Everything. From beginning to end. Every sad little detail."

"So? It's not like he holds you responsible for your past, now does he? He's not disgusted either, otherwise he wouldn't come here every single day to see you, h-"

"I know that, Mokuba," Seto interrupted, dragging one delicate hand through his brown tresses. "God, I know. What I don't know is why he does it … ok, I do, but I can't understa-"

"You don't have to!" It was Mokuba's turn to cut off his brother's sentence. "Why can't you just accept that he likes you?"

"Life is _not_ as easy as this. You'll learn that soon enough."

> > > > >

Katsuya smiled lopsidedly when he entered the now familiar room. He liked to come there, he liked the time spent with Seto, and within the same drawing of breath he would say he dreaded it. More than anything else. He couldn't stand the awkward tension setteling between them whenever topics of speech ran out.

It was frustrating, even more so because he knew exactly why they would stumble into this horrible silence. And yet, he was unable to do anything about it. On the one hand he desperately wanted to act upon his feelings and confront Seto about it, about everything that was said and left unsaid between them. On the other hand, he didn't want to do it at all. He didn't want to destroy the however small amount of trust Seto seemed to finally put into him. He didn't want to wake a sleeping lion again, to disturb a finally peaceful sea.

It tore him apart on the inside.

"Hey," he greeted Seto soflty, not wanting to startle the other as he seemingly hadn't heared the door open and close as Katsuya entered. Seto turned to look at the blond now standing beside his bed, a small, almost not perceptible smile hushing over his lips.

"Hello," was the short answer. Not more, not less. Katsuya sighed and dragged a chair to the bed, sitting directly in Seto's line of few out of the window.

"Finals are going to start next week, Sensei wanted me to tell you. You are expected to take them, if you're not released by then, you have to take them during summer vacation."

Seto snorted, raising one eyebrow. "As if I need to take them anyway. They know I'll easily pass, they could just write the 100 points down and not bother me." Katsuya chuckled, a genuine smile showing on his face.

"Right, they really can be a pain in the ass sometimes." He laughed to himself for a moment, eyes going distant with a reminescent image of Seto finishing his tests in record time and leaving everybody else groaning.

"I'll be there anyway."

Katsuya stopped short. "You what?"

"You heared me right. I'll be there to take the exams. They're going to release me tomorrow." Seto totally missed the disappointed look crossing the blond's face, the sad smile and empty eyes when he answered.

"That's great, I'm happy for you. It's about time, too. They held you hostage long enough, don't you think?"

There it was, the dreaded silence. Katsuya looked to the ground, biting his lower lip and kneeding his fingers in painful looking ways. There was no reason for him to see Seto besides school any longer. Coming to the hospital to tell him about school was a good excuse, although it was never openly agreed on that. He would just stop by and Seto didn't seem to mind at all, or at least that much. He did talk to Katsuya after all, and he did smile, too. But with Seto being released, he would certainly start working again. He had to catch up with the going-ons of the company and definitely would _not_ appreciate it if Katsuya was to butt in every day and disturb him. Not that that was an option anyway. They just kept on ignoring everything that had to do with Seto's outburst about his stepfather, or their feelings, for that matter.

With this thought, Katsuya jumped to his feet, almost knocking over the chair he had occupied seconds before, making it screech over the linoleum floor. "I'm going to see you on Monday, then, I guess."

Eyes still cast to the ground, he rushed to the door, not once glancing back at Seto.

tbc >

A/N: Rather boring chapter, I know. But it's necessary for future things. I finally got a draft I want to follow, but who knows wether I do, or not.

I also know that this story is moving a bit slowly, but with all the other things I've written so far, I finally want to have some real character development and good descriptions, so please bear with me for a while longer. I do realize that I ask that a lot from my readers, but if you don't like this story, you don't have to read it.

Finally and most important: Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I love to read what people think about my work and constructive criticism and ideas are always welcome!

'Til next time,

Yugi's Tenshi


	9. Chapter Nine

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13, for this chappie (again)

Warning: The usual stuff.

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: Hey there! Been a while again, I know. I'm not going to make any excuses, though.

I didn't post, period.

I'm sticking to the old rating system for the rest of this fic, just in case you're wondering.

After this chapter things will move faster, promise. I definitely know where this is going now. Writing this made me realize something: I'm never going to write anything without deciding on a plot first again. And I won't post a new story if I can't be sure to meet my own deadlines. I'm glad people were patient with me and kept reading through my escapades, but I really asked too much from my readers.

Thanks again and again to everybody who read and especially to those who bothered to review, you make my day! I'm trying to post regularly, at least once a month from now on – I'll TRY.

Thanks and sorry for rambling so long, here comes the next chapter:

.- Chapter 8: Midnight Meeting -.-

It was awkward to say the least. With all the time he had spent in this room, he seemed to have totally forgotten what he had been doing with his free time before. It seemed like ages ago, millenias even, that he did something besides sitting and talking with Seto, however little conversation there had been the last few days before the brunet's release from the prison called hospital. This strange feeling, which left him so exceptionally empty inside, wouldn't leave him alone, no matter what he tried. It was the weekend, too, and although Yugi invited him over, Katsuya felt no thrive to go. He did miss his friends, the joking and laughing, the carefreeness of their time spent together, but he starved for something different, something cold and uncaring, absolutely hot and oh-so-gentle at the same time: Kaiba Seto.

It had been one day. _One_ fucking day, and Katsuya was desperate. There were so many things he still wanted to know about the CEO, so many things he wanted to _do_.

Yet, here he was, sitting in his room and contemplating the unfairness of the great workings of Universe. It didn't matter to the blond if you called it fate, destiny, God, or just plainly bad luck, for him it was the same difference: he didn't get to see Seto!

Frustrated, Katsuya jumped from his bed and headed toward the front door. Hurridly donning his shoes, he stormed out and made for the park nearby.

"I have to get some fresh air and to get _him_ out of my mind!" After a few steps he halted and, sighing deeply, slapped himself on one of his cheeks. "Great, just great! Now I'm talking to myself."

.-.-.-.-.-

Seto sighed. His eyes travelled over the piles of papers widely strewn over his desk, and all the notes he had scattered about the table top. The constant humming of his computer didn't help the headache pulsating through his temples much, when the old clock, standing behind him, never ceased to remind him of the expiring time. It was a lost case. In every aspect. If he kept going at the same speed he had up to this moment, he was never going to be able to get everything done. Not today, not tomorrow, not next month.

"Damn him for constantly plagueing my thoughts. What in the name of God did I do to deserve this? I didn't want to get acquainted with him in the first place and now I can't wrap my mind around the concept of not seeing him? I'm going insane! "

Sighing again, he turned to look out of the window. It was a habit he couldn't get rid of ever since he woke up in the sterile environment of a hospital bed.

The moon had risen high over Domino City already, bathing everything in an eerie yet wonderful glow. Even Seto couldn't escape the pale rays of reflected sunlight as they shone through the large glass, shimmering on his deep blue eyes. Glancing at the large premises surrounding his mansion, something out of the ordinary caught the brunet's attention.

A lone silouette stood along the high fences, face obscured by the wrought iron bars and the moonlight illuminating it from one side. It seemed to gaze in his direction, though, on a closer look right into his eyes even.

An unsetteling feeling creeping along his spine, Seto turned away. 'Just my vivid imagination', he told himself, going rigid the next moment. "Since when do I have a vivid imagination?" He growled, turning again only to see the figure moving down the street at a slow pace.

Without thinking – or power over his body's actions, whatever you want to call it – Seto moved towards the door of his study, briskly walking down the corridor toward the front door. Only stopping briefly to throw on one of his trenchcoats and to grab his keys, he made his way out. Why? He didn't know, but his feet instantly took him toward the gate in persuit of the strange human form. It's contures still lingered in the back of his mind, though he couldn't quite place them despite being oddly familiar to him.

Maybe he just didn't _want_ to. Maybe he didn't want to acknowledge he was following the very same person he had craved to see all day, hell since he stormed out of the stupid hospital room. Maybe he still didn't want to acknowledge his feelings, even though his body – or make that heart – already had decided that it was damn well time to act upon them, if his mind agreed or not.

Taking long strides, Seto turned a corner and had to restrain himself from breaking into a run as the silouette seemed to move faster than ever, almost disappearing on the horizon.

"Wait!" Huffing with unbearable exhaustion, the young CEO finally took to a light jog, trying to shorten the distance between them. His legs seemed to weigh more with every step he took, dragging along the hard pavement and slowing him down.

"Wait, damn it!" He called again, almost sounding desperate in his own ears. The air seemed to suddenly thin, crushing his lungs as Seto tried to breath. Falling to his knees and clutching at his chest, he looked up to see Katsuya staring back at him, only to turn around and walk away. Pressing his eyes shut and trying to force air into his lungs in vain, Seto collapsed to the ground and passed out.

.-.-.-.-.-

Bolting upright in his bed, Seto took a deep breath to calm his nerves, appretiating the feeling of oxygen in his lungs. Slowly he settled back against his pillows, whiping away the sweat from his brow.

Eyes closed, he took a few more breaths before he climbed out of bed to walk toward the window. Pulling aside one of the heavy curtains the brunet looked outside. He enjoyed the same view like in his dream, although his study was on the other side of the house.

Concidering this, the dream felt much more unrealistic. Why did he see the front of the house in this dream? It didn't make sense at all, at least not to him. Everything looked exactly the same, even the moonlight cast the same shadows.

Out of the corner of his eye, Seto caught a dark figure along the fence of the garden looking up at the mansion. Shaking its head, it turned to walk down the road.

.- tbc -.-


	10. Chapter Ten

Title: Broken Wings

Author: Yugi's Tenshi

Rating: PG-13

Warning: bad language, bla bla bla

Pairing: Kaiba Seto / Jounouchi Katsuya

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: Took a few days longer than expected to write this (especially edit it, although I'm  
sure there are enough mistakes left). But it's more than twice as long as the other  
chapters and I hope this makes up for it. Enjoy reading and maybe drop a line when  
you finished. As usual, thanks to everybody who did for last chapter!

.. Chapter Nine: Weaknesses ..

"Isn't this odd?"

"Abnormal is more like the word I'd use."

"Still an understatement."

Yugi sighed, eyes drifting toward where his best friend was sitting away from them at his desk. He seemed to be mulling over something, face crunshed up in wrinkles.

"Let's just say that it isn't like him to act this way and leave him alone. He'll tell us what's bothering him when he's comfortable with it," the small duelist finally said.

"But he's never been like this before!" Honda protested, looking in disbelief at his little friend.

"Yugi's right, though. We can't do anything about it, we have to respect it when he wants to be alone," Ryou chimed in.

"Like _hell_ I will! He's my friend and I want to help him!"

"And what exactly do you intend to do?" Otogi asked, laying a calming hand on Honda's shoulder. The other yielded with a sigh of defeat. "We have to sit and wait. It'll work out eventually, you'll see."

"But something is seriously wrong with him. And Kaiba, if you ask me. They don't even dignify each other with so much as a glance, not to say they aren't at each other's throat all the …"

"Honda," Yugi intervened. "It's been ten minutes since Jou entered the classroom and they had no reason to fight whatsoever."

"But that's more than enough time. And not having a reason never stopped them before, either."

The group of friends fell silent as the truth of this statement sank in. They looked between their blond friend and Kaiba, who was staring distantly at the same page of his novel. It made sense that Katsuya's strange behaviour was connected to a certain blue-eyed CEO.

XDXDXDXDXD

"Are you coming, Jou?" Yugi asked hopefully as he passed his friend's desk when the bell to signal lunch break rang. The petite boy's brillinatly violet eyes shone with something akin to despair as Katsuya shook his head no. Yugi slumped his shoulders and sat down in the chair in front of the blond, straddling it backwards and folding his arms over the back to rest his chin on them. After all the other students had left the class room he sighed and breathed a single word, "Why?"

Katsuya looked up into Yugi's sorrowful eyes, a feeling of guilt instantly washing over him. "Sorry, Yug'. For making you worry about me I mean." And as and afterthought he added, "And all the others, too."

The wild-haired teen smiled. "It's ok, Jou. But tell me if you want to talk about it, 'kay?"

Katsuya slowly returned the smile. "Thanks. It's just … I don't know myself what's going on. And I don't know if I want anybody to know about it either." He looked back down at the desktop, his face thoughtful.

"Is it because Kaiba-san is involved?" Yugi prodded while putting one of his diminutive hands on his friends arm in a calming and supportive gesture.

Katsuya's head shot up to look at his friend, eyes wide and lower lip relentlessly worked by his teeth. "How do you … I mean, what makes you thi-"

"Just a feeling," Yugi interrupted, a new smile spreading across his angelic face. "Seriously, Jou, he's as much out of it as you are. It's not that hard to guess. Though Honda had to point it out quite bluntly," he added and laughed lightly. The blond just nodded, sighing wearily. "Still don't want to tell me?"

"Sorry, I really can't. I have to work this out on my own for now. At least I think I have."

Smiling reassuringly once again, Yugi left for lunch. "See you laten, then."

A shadow passing the door reminded Katsuya what had been on his mind all day. Or several days for that matter.

XDXDXDXDXD

Seto couldn't believe he had sunk as low as being a _normal_ teenager. Whatever normal meant. His brain couldn't befriend the thought that he was indeed distracted by another person's behavior. Or lack thereof.

It was the first time he could remember not being able to concentrate on what he was doing. Every other sencond he would shoot a glance at the blond a few rows ahead of him, novel forgotten in his hands before lessons started and the teacher talking at the front droned out by his thoughts racing a thousand miles a millisecond. His mind seemed to have taken a liking to replaying the events of the former night in front of his _open_ eyes, relentlessly reminding him of the figure at his fence which looked more than only slightly familiar. And that Katsuya didn't act like his normal self confirmed that it indeed was him.

It didn't make sense. Not at all. But then it did, in a twisted kind of way. Seto didn't know what to think anymore. He never had intended to think about the other boy at all. He was scum, someone he didn't want anything to do with and now he couldn't get him out of his mind. When he thought he did Katsuya's sun-kissed skin, or pouty lips, or deep, honey-colored eyes would wiggle their way in again. Somehow the blond had wormed his way into his brain and wouldn't let go of the synapsis he had wound himself around.

It made Seto boil with anger. And then again not. He never knew he could be such a contradictory person. And though he would never admit it to anybody, deep down he knew that his brother was right. Humans weren't made to understand feelings and emotions, they're supposed to act and follow where they lead them.

This realization hit Seto hard. When lunch finally rolled around he had to get away, get out of the classroom to take a few calming breaths in the more or less fresh air.

XDXDXDXDXD

"What do you want?"

So his solitude didn't last long. And it had to be the last person he wanted to see right now who approached him. Or maybe he wanted to desperately see him and talk to him. Whatever.

"I …" Katsuya sighed and averted his eyes to study the dirty ground infront of him. This was harder than he'd expected. Somewhere during the time spent with Seto in the hospital he thought that they had become closer. At least a very tiny little bit. They didn't fight and talked normally to each other, so why would Seto go back to snapping at him now? It made him angry. "What's wrong with you? I didn't do anything just now and the only thing you can think of is bellowing at me like that. Since when are we back to snide remarks without reason?"

Seto shrugged as he leaned against the wall of the school building behind him and folded his arms across his chest. "What's wrong with _you_?" He countered, nodding his head in the other's direction and ignoring the little outburst all-together. "Sneaking around other people's houses at midnight isn't something I'd define as normal behavior."

Katsuya mimicked Seto's shrug. Why beat around the bush? He was here to finally get clear with the CEO anyway. "I couldn't sleep. And if you must know why, it was because of you."

"Should I feel honored?"

"Don't play this arrogant-prick-thing with me!" Huffing irritably the blond told himself to calm down. "Why are we back to this? I can't understand it. What the hell did I do to you? I didn't even see you since last week!"

Shrugging again Seto looked away to stare at the trees in the school yard.

"Why are you doing this? Kai- … _Seto_, it's about time we finally talked about what happened."

"I have no clue what you're going on about." Seto's eyes locked with Katsuya's, cold and unfriendly, refusing to let any emotion show.

"You know damn well what I mean! Don't play dumb, Seto, it doesn't suit you! I told you exactly what I feel for you and I told you, more or less straight to the point, that I don't care about your past! It's time you let it go, because you live in the here and now! Either this or be mizerable for the rest of your life! You always claim to be a genius so why can't you see that! Sometimes I think I know you and the next moment I can't figure you out at all! I don't even know why I fell for _you_ of all people in the first place! But you know what? You can't control things like that! You can't control your feelings! You can try to manipulate them into something you think more appropiate or whatever, but you can't control them! I love you, damn it, and I just know that you aren't completely uninterested!" Tears were streaming down Katsuya's face. He didn't even know where half of what he said came from. When he thought about what to say in this moment of confrontation he had it planned out completely differently. He was shaking, hands balled into fists at his sides, shoulders trembling as his eyes were shut tightly. He couldn't even see if Seto was still there or left during his tirade.

"What makes you think I'd be interested in you?" It was a question asked so quietly and with such a small voice that Katsuya had to open his eyes to believe it was indeed Seto who queried this. A very tiny smile hushed over his face as his tears ceased flowing.

"It's just a feeling, Seto. I have no proof. There are only clues to what other people think or feel, you can never be sure. All the little things you said and did while you were bound to that hospital bed are the only indication I have, but it gives me this feeling." Katsuya never expected the answer he got.

"I can't fall for you." He trembled, his whole body quivered with tremors as he pinched his eyes closed and shook his head. He had had no intention of saying that.

"Why?" Seto hadn't noticed Katsuya standing directly in front of him and almost jumped out of his skin when he felt the blond touching his forearms, his thumps lightly rubbing them. "What would be your problem? That I'm a guy?"

Seto shook his head. "I don't care what other people think about me, you should know that by now."

"What is it then?" Katsuya asked, eyes fixed upon the deep blues belonging to Seto.

The brunet couldn't stand it anylonger. Couldn't stand those inquisitive yet so trustworthy, honey orbs in front of him. Slowly and quietly he answered the question that was nagging him as much as Katsuya. "You're a weakness I cannot cope with. Mokuba is enough, there are enough people in danger already. I told you that I'm the wrong person to fall in love with."

"I'm no weakness whatsoever! I'm old enough to take care of myself, I never asked you to baby me, did I?" Katsuya looked incredulously at Seto, eyes wild with determination. "That isn't a reason to reject me, there is no sense in what you're saying right now."

Seto chuckled humorously. "My head tells me exactly that, but my heart just keeps repeating, over and over again, that you'd never be safe when you're near me." Leaning down, Seto captured Katsuya's lips in a chaste kiss.

.. tbc ..

Did I mention I hate ffn's new Document Manager? ... Now I did+grumble+


	11. Author's Note

Hey people!

I'm sorry, but the next update won't be until October. The new chapter is 95 written already, but I won't be able to finish it. I'm going to leave for the US this Wednesday and won't be back until September 30th. Maybe I'll have time to finish it between work and sightseeing, but I won't have a computer, so posting it won't be possible. But I can promise you your share of angst XD So please be a bit patient with me - yet again - and wait for the update...

Yugi's Tenshi


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